1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit member connection structure used for electrically connecting second connection portions to first connection portions at a later stage.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 10-342532, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wire harness is insert molded (or embedded) in a panel of an automobile, such as an instrument panel and a door panel. In some cases, an optional equipment (auxiliary equipment) is electrically connected to the wire harness at a later stage.
There has been proposed a connection structure used for connecting an equipment to a wire harness in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 10-152000.
As shown in FIG. 15, this connection structure includes a panel 80 having a wire harness 81 insert molded therein, a window 82 formed in the panel 80, wires (first connection portions) 83 of the wire harness 81 exposed at the window 82, and a wire holder 84 having press-connecting terminals 85. When the wire holder 84 is pressed into the window 82, the wires 83 are press-fitted in the press-connecting terminals 85, respectively. As a result, branch wires (second connection portions) 86, connected to the wire holder 85, are electrically connected respectively to the wires 83 of the wire harness 81.
However, the wires 83 are respectively connected to the branch wires 86 by the press-connecting terminals 85, and therefore there has been encountered a drawback in that the press-connecting terminals 85 can not flexibly meet various connection arrangements of the wires 83 and/or branch wires 86. Therefore, this has been dealt with by adjusting the position of formation of the window 82. However, this has increased the number of types of panels 80, and therefore has invited disadvantages in connection with the stock management and so on.
With the above problems in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit member connection structure in which an electrical connection can be made while flexibly meeting an arrangement of first and second connection portions, without increasing the number of types of panels.
To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connection structure which comprises a first structure, a plurality of first circuit members disposed in the first structure, the first circuit members having first connection portions exposed from the first structure, a second structure, a plurality of second circuit members disposed in the second structure, the second circuit members having second connection portions exposed from the second structure, wherein an arrangement of the first connection portions is different from an arrangement of the second connection portions, and a connector including a plurality of terminals that electrically connect the first connection portions with the second connection portions, respectively, and have first contact portions and second contact portions, wherein the first contact portions of the terminals are arranged correspondingly to the arrangement of the first connection portions and electrically connected to the first connection portions, respectively, and the second contact portions of the terminals are arranged correspondingly to the arrangement of the second connection portions, and electrically connected to the second connection portions, respectively. Although the arrangement of the first connection portions is different from the arrangement of the second connection portions in the above-described connection structure, the present invention is not limited to this construction. For example, it is also possible to design the connection structure in which the arrangements of the first connection portions are substantially the same as the arrangements of the second connection portions.
According to the second aspect of the present invention depending upon the first aspect, it is preferable that the first structure includes a first window, the first connection portions are exposed at the first window of the first structure, and the second structure includes a second window, the second connection portions are exposed at the second window of the second structure.
According to the third aspect of the present invention depending upon the first or second aspect, it is preferable that the connection structure further comprises a retaining mechanism wherein the connector is retained on the first structure by the retaining mechanism.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention depending upon the first aspect, it is preferable that the connector includes a housing body having first and second side walls opposed to each other, the first side wall having first terminal holes formed therein, and the second side wall having second terminal holes formed therein, and a plurality of terminal receiving chambers into which the terminals are respectively inserted, formed in the housing body, the terminal receiving chambers communicating with the first terminal holes and the second terminal holes, respectively, wherein the first contact portions of the terminals are respectively received in the first terminal holes, and the second contact portions of the terminals are respectively received in the second terminal holes.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention depending upon the fourth aspect, it is preferable that the first terminal holes are so arranged that the arrangement of the first contact portions of the terminals corresponds to the arrangement of the first connection portions, and the second terminal holes are so arranged that the arrangement of the second contact portions of the terminals corresponds to the arrangement of the second connection portions.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention depending upon the third aspect, it is preferable that the retaining mechanism includes an upstanding lock arm formed on at least one of opposite side walls of the housing body, and extending toward the first structure, a lock projection formed on a free end of the lock arm, an arm groove formed in a peripheral portion of the first window so as to receive the lock arm, and a retaining groove which is formed in a surface of the arm groove so as to engage the lock projection.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention depending upon the first aspect, it is preferable that the terminals include at least one first relay terminal which has a base plate portion, and first and second resilient contact portions which are extended respectively from opposite ends of the base plate portion, the first resilient contact portion has one of the first contact portions, and the second resilient contact portion has one of the second contact portions, and wherein length of the base plate portion is so designed that the first resilient contact portion is electrically connected to corresponding one of the first connection portions, and the second resilient contact portion is electrically connected to corresponding one of the second connection portions.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention depending upon the seventh aspect, it is preferable that the first relay terminal has a substantially S-shaped cross-section.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention depending upon the first aspect, it is preferable that the terminals include at least one second relay terminal which has a base plate portion, a pair of resilient holding portions extended from one of opposite sides of the base plate portion, the pair of resilient holding portions having one of the first contact portions, and a resilient contact portion extended from the other one of the opposite sides of the base plate portion, the resilient contact portion having one of the second contact portions, and wherein length of the base plate portion is so designed that the pair of resilient holding portions are electrically connected to corresponding one of the first connection portions, and the resilient contact portion is electrically connected to corresponding one of the second connection portions.
According to the tenth aspect of the present invention depending upon the first aspect, it is preferable that the terminals include at least one third relay terminal which has a base plate portion, an interconnecting plate portion having an L-shape, the interconnecting plate portion being extended from one end of the base plate portion, and cooperating with the base plate portion to form a U-shape, a resilient contact portion extended from one of opposite sides of the base plate portion, the resilient contact portion having one of the second contact portions, and a pair of resilient holding portions extended from one of opposite sides of the interconnecting plate portion, the pair of resilient holding portions having one of the first contact portions, and wherein length of at least one of the base plate portion and the interconnecting plate portion is so designed that the resilient contact portion is electrically connected to corresponding one of the second connection portions, and the pair of resilient holding portions are electrically connected to corresponding one of the first connection portions.
According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention depending upon the tenth aspect, it is preferable that the interconnecting plate portion has a transverse plate disposed perpendicular to the base plate portion, and a longitudinal plate disposed in parallel to the base plate portion, and the transverse and longitudinal plates are so designed that a position of insertion of the third relay terminal relative to the terminal receiving chamber can be changed.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention depending upon the eleventh aspect, it is preferable that the connection structure further comprises retaining lances provided in the terminal receiving chambers in a substantially comb-like fashion, the retaining lances including short lances and a long lance, wherein the base plate portion and the longitudinal plate of the third relay terminal are retained by the short lances, and the transverse plate is retained by the long lance.
According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention depending upon the fourth aspect, it is preferable that the connection structure further comprises retaining lances provided in the terminal receiving chambers in a substantially comb-like fashion, wherein the terminals are respectively retained by the retaining lances.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention depending upon the fourth aspect, it is preferable that the first and second contact portions are electrically connected to the first and second connection portions respectively through the first and second terminal holes.